Empoli, Montespertoli, San Casciano con squadra

I had a great ride with the team this morning.  We met at the Iliopesca in Scandicci, and rode out to Lastra a Signa a route that I am trying to memorize, as it is quiet roads for the most part and quite pleasant.  From Lastra, we went to Empoli, then started toward Vinci, but clouds were looming in the hills that direction.  The weather forecasts called for the weather to get worse as the day progresses with heavy rains forecast for tomorrow.  The 4 or so decision makers for the route decided to turn around and change the tour for where the weather looked best.  So, we backtracked a little, then took the back road through Sammontana, Villanuova, turning in Pozzole.  We took a pretty main road there, but with little traffic through Martignana, then turning at Ortimo, to climb to Montespertoli.

From Montespertoli, we descended to Bacciano, then climbed to Montagnana, where I thought we would descend to Cerbia, but no.  We turned right and took the gentle climb through San Quirico to San Pancrazio, turning off for the descent into the valley.  I thought we would be taking the quite steep climb to San Casciano, as I knew we were going there, and I always take this direct route.  Instead we turned off, did a short descent, the climbed up SR2, through Canciulle, which is a pretty main road, but not used very much there, and a relatively gentle climb.  I thought of the many times I had climbed the really steep road, and was kind of hitting myself for not trying an alternative that I knew was there.  When I told some of the people I was riding with, they all said "but that road is so steep and so hard".  Well, you live and learn.  Hey Mark, be more open to alternate routes.  From San Casciano, we cut across through Speddalleto. Chiesa Nuova, then turned down to Scandicci, then back into town.  Click on the link for all the details, but a quick summary is:  63 miles in 4 hours rolling time, for an average of 15.5 mph with 2800 vertical feet of climbing.

Sorry, no pictures when I ride with the team, as we tend to go for it pretty hard.

Empoli, Montespertoli, San Casciano con squadra by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details